FreeStyle Libre

verisimilitude · Nov 2, 2016

Hey guys, so I've been trialling the new(ish) FreeStyle Libre meter recently, and I've found it really beneficial. The ease of testing, for me at least, was pretty f-info astounding and I'm glad I had the opportunity. I was wondering if anyone else had trialled it and if anyone else would be interested in trialling it as the glucose sensors are not available in the UK on prescription at the moment and cost around £45 to buy, so the more people that trial it, the better! Literally, it pretty much took away finger prick testing and the sensor takes a glucose reading every minute so it provides a graph of trends for the whole day, and is waterproof and you can scan it through clothing, also bolus advice much like the Aviva expert is available on it. My perspective on the meter, evidently is very good, but I want to know if anyone's had any bad experiences?

I've also put a picture of the sensor on the back of my arm on the thread

himtoo · Nov 2, 2016

hey there @verisimilitude
great post-- there are a few people talking about this.

I can't afford to wear one full time but they are great for wearing at important times ( I have just been in hospital under anesthetic)
all the nurse on ward and in theatre were totally amazed by it.

verisimilitude · Nov 2, 2016

himtoo said:
hey there @verisimilitude
great post-- there are a few people talking about this.

I can't afford to wear one full time but they are great for wearing at important times ( I have just been in hospital under anesthetic)
all the nurse on ward and in theatre were totally amazed by it.

Yeah, they're just so expensive it's silly. Supposedly kids in Australia are prescribed the sensors as it gives them better control. If it cuts hospital stays and complications, then maybe it would save the NHS money. I'll be sad to go back to finger prick when the trial ends.

himtoo · Nov 2, 2016

yeah -- I know the feeling -- I got a 1 sensor trial about 8 months ago
have bought 2 more myself and just finishing using the second one this week.

wannabemammy · Nov 2, 2016

I am on my third sensor and starting yesterday they have been made available to Ireland so I am going to continue using it as much as I can afford to. In the space of 3 weeks it has helped my a1c reduce from 7.9 to 7.2!

rockape37 · Nov 2, 2016

himtoo said:
hey there @verisimilitude
great post-- there are a few people talking about this.

I can't afford to wear one full time but they are great for wearing at important times ( I have just been in hospital under anesthetic)
all the nurse on ward and in theatre were totally amazed by it.

I would love to be able use one of these but a bit too expensive for my wage packet. Of course a CGM working with my Medtronic 640g would be much more useful.

You mentioned that you used your's whilst in hospital which would be very handy given all the data it will give you throughout. So i should seriously think about buying a couple of sensors and use the Librelink app as I myself am waiting for a biopsy under GA sometime......probably in the distant future by the way things are going.

Regards
Martin

keyne21 · Nov 2, 2016

I have had 4 now and I literally hate not having it! Although I have phantom libre where I feel like its still there even though it isnt! Being able to scan with your mobile phone is amazing! Roll on the day they are available on the NHS!

himtoo · Nov 2, 2016

rockape37 said:
I would love to be able use one of these but a bit too expensive for my wage packet. Of course a CGM working with my Medtronic 640g would be much more useful.

You mentioned that you used your's whilst in hospital which would be very handy given all the data it will give you throughout. So i should seriously think about buying a couple of sensors and use the Librelink app as I myself am waiting for a biopsy under GA sometime......probably in the distant future by the way things are going.

Regards
Martin

I purposely activated a Libre 1 week before my biopsy in order to be able to monitor things for the whole day in hospital.

to say the staff were gobsmacked is an understatement -- none of the ward staff , ward nurses , or theatre nurses and anesthetic team had ever seen one-- all were totally impressed .

rockape37 · Nov 2, 2016

Good idea, i need to chase up my biopsy appointment and I'm seriously thinking of using the Libre sensor like you leading up to and after the OP.

Regards
Martin

Hannahdunning96 · Nov 2, 2016

wannabemammy said:
I am on my third sensor and starting yesterday they have been made available to Ireland so I am going to continue using it as much as I can afford to. In the space of 3 weeks it has helped my a1c reduce from 7.9 to 7.2!

Finally someone in Ireland so would you recommend getting it? as in would you say it's worth the money, at least to just try it for a while?

robert72 · Nov 3, 2016

Hannahdunning96 said:
Finally someone in Ireland so would you recommend getting it? as in would you say it's worth the money, at least to just try it for a while?

I am on my 54th sensor - bought the starter kit 2 years ago just to see what it was like and now can't imagine being without it

wannabemammy · Nov 3, 2016

Hannahdunning96 said:
Finally someone in Ireland so would you recommend getting it? as in would you say it's worth the money, at least to just try it for a while?

Hey Hannah!
The only reason I'm only on my 3rd sensor is because it was so hard to try and get my hands one one all along because you had to be a UK resident! But on Tuesday it was made available to Ireland and I literally got home from work that night and ordered 2. Before that I was ordering them from the UK site getting them sent to my friend living there and she passed them onto me from there! It was a right pain but sooooo worth it! I love it. I'm a serial BG tester, usually do about 10-13 finger pricks a day but on this I'm scanning about 40 times a day ! It's helping me catch the highs before they get a chance to rise. My hba1c has never been this good! Can't recommend it enough!

peterlanbridge · Nov 3, 2016

verisimilitude said:
Hey guys, so I've been trialling the new(ish) FreeStyle Libre meter recently, and I've found it really beneficial. The ease of testing, for me at least, was pretty f-info astounding and I'm glad I had the opportunity. I was wondering if anyone else had trialled it and if anyone else would be interested in trialling it as the glucose sensors are not available in the UK on prescription at the moment and cost around £45 to buy, so the more people that trial it, the better! Literally, it pretty much took away finger prick testing and the sensor takes a glucose reading every minute so it provides a graph of trends for the whole day, and is waterproof and you can scan it through clothing, also bolus advice much like the Aviva expert is available on it. My perspective on the meter, evidently is very good, but I want to know if anyone's had any bad experiences? I've also put a picture of the sensor on the back of my arm on the thread

Hi. I'm type 1 , and been using the Libre for a couple of months now. It's terrific . Funded you giving people smoking, so I've a double benefit. A key benefit to me is that it not only tells you the level , but also the trend , ie rising, falling or level .
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

isjoberg · Nov 3, 2016

Yes!! It's the best thing ever! Also Abbott are really good at sending replacements if the sensor fails for some reason (happened twice to me and they just sent me a form to fill in and the next week sent me a replacement!).

I really like the way that you can see the long term trends so you know which parts of the day you need to focus on, and where small changes can have a massive impact on your control! For example I changed the time of my long acting in the morning by 30 mins and it's had a massive impact on what my blood sugar looks like pre lunch.Also really useful at work cause I can just scan without having to prick and the speed and convenience is unreal.

Hannahdunning96 · Nov 3, 2016

wannabemammy said:
Hey Hannah!
The only reason I'm only on my 3rd sensor is because it was so hard to try and get my hands one one all along because you had to be a UK resident! But on Tuesday it was made available to Ireland and I literally got home from work that night and ordered 2. Before that I was ordering them from the UK site getting them sent to my friend living there and she passed them onto me from there! It was a right pain but sooooo worth it! I love it. I'm a serial BG tester, usually do about 10-13 finger pricks a day but on this I'm scanning about 40 times a day ! It's helping me catch the highs before they get a chance to rise. My hba1c has never been this good! Can't recommend it enough!

robert72 said:
I am on my 54th sensor - bought the starter kit 2 years ago just to see what it was like and now can't imagine being without it

These are so good to hear!! thanks for everything, I'm just trying to convince my mother how good this would be for me, it might take some proper negotiating but with everything yee have said, I hope to get one for Christmas if I'm lucky

himtoo · Nov 3, 2016

Hannahdunning96 said:
These are so good to hear!! thanks for everything, I'm just trying to convince my mother how good this would be for me, it might take some proper negotiating but with everything yee have said, I hope to get one for Christmas if I'm lucky

if it is a Christmas present it will be one of the best D presents of all time

it really does become a game changer in terms of the ability to control

Red shaw · Nov 3, 2016

Hannahdunning96 said:
These are so good to hear!! thanks for everything, I'm just trying to convince my mother how good this would be for me, it might take some proper negotiating but with everything yee have said, I hope to get one for Christmas if I'm lucky

I trialled it nearly 2 years ago (they are trying to convince NICE that they are worth the money). I'm a lot older than you and my mother financed my first year of this, and this year I am asking people not to waste money on xmas presents for me, I'd rather have the money to go towards this.

I run an annual quiz night for my local diabetes centre, and last year's £1000 went towards buying a stock of these to loan to people who couldn't afford to buy one. So they got the benefit of a 2 week stint.

helenlmc1976 · Nov 4, 2016

I trialed it the other week. It was brilliant, the rep from Abbott's advised that they have applied for this to become available on the NHS they are hoping it is put through early 2017. This is such a fantastic piece of equipment if I had been able to use this when I was first diagnosed over 30 years ago life would have been so much easier.

I would strongly suggest any one who gets offered the trial do it, you get to keep the meter so if you do wish to buy the sensor for example if you are going on holiday and want the easy of not having to do the blood test. The information is an absolute life saver and its easy for others to be able to test you in an emergency.

Really hope this becomes available soon!

Laurenbrown1 · Nov 4, 2016

i tried it out about a month back and i though it was amazing!!

col101 · Nov 4, 2016

Red shaw said:
I trialled it nearly 2 years ago (they are trying to convince NICE that they are worth the money). I'm a lot older than you and my mother financed my first year of this, and this year I am asking people not to waste money on xmas presents for me, I'd rather have the money to go towards this.

I run an annual quiz night for my local diabetes centre, and last year's £1000 went towards buying a stock of these to loan to people who couldn't afford to buy one. So they got the benefit of a 2 week stint.

Making them available to people who otherwise couldn't afford them is such a good and kind thing to do. Good on you!

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